Forensic Death Investigations

Catalog description

In its broadest definition, forensic science represents a fusion of the natural sciences, criminology, and jurisprudence. As our society has become more dependent on rules of law to regulate the activity of its members, the field of forensic science has made it possible to apply the knowledge and technology of science to criminal investigation and law enforcement. It was the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who had a considerable influence on popularizing the use of scientific crime-detection methods to his fictional character Sherlock Holmes. It was in the stories of Sherlock Holmes that the public was introduced to the fields of serology, fingerprinting and firearm identification long before the value of these techniques was recognized accepted by the criminal justice system. The field of forensic pathology focuses specifically on the investigation of sudden, unnatural, unexplained or violent deaths. Forensic pathologists acting either as coroners or medical investigators have the responsibility of determining the cause of death, the identity of the deceased, the nature and severity of injury, and the timing of the injury relative to the time of death. In addition to this forensic pathologist may be involved in investigation of injuries resulting from assault, battery, crimes of a sexual nature, or those involving chemical substances. Course Learning Outcomes 1. Apply to understand the underlying science behind forensic pathology and death investigations, ranging from the history of the medical examiner to mass disaster victim identification. 2. Understand the role that scientific research plays in the development of the methods employed in death investigations. 3. Read, design, and comprehend the use of validation studies in forensic science, culminating with publication in peer reviewed journal(s) and court admissibility. 4. Recognize and understand the role of the forensic scientist in criminal investigations, from the initial triage of evidence to the dissemination of test results in the court of law. 5. Recognize reasonable scientific limits, particularly with interpretation of results and supporting court room testimony. 6. Apply basic principles of several “sub-disciplines” associated with death investigations, including crime scene reconstruction. This includes selecting appropriate experts and crime scene processing chronology. 7. Read and interpret peer review literature in forensic science, including dissemination of results and discussion in journal club style formats. 8. Have the foundational knowledge to select and write a term paper on a selected topic/field of study of their choosing (within the realm of death investigations). 9. Understand, first hand, the varying complexities of forensic science, crime scene analysis, and death investigations – better preparing the student for a successful career in forensic science. View Class Schedule